भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या
Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa
सर्वे लाभा: साभिमाना इति सत्यवती श्रुति: । संतोषणीयरूपो5सि लोभाद् यदभिमन्यसे
sarve lābhāḥ sābhimānā iti satyavatī śrutiḥ | santoṣaṇīya-rūpo 'si lobhād yad abhimanyase ||
بھیشم نے کہا— “دنیا کے تمام فائدے خودپسندی کے ساتھ آتے ہیں— یہ بات سچ بیان کرنے والی شروتی کہتی ہے۔ تمہاری فطرت تو قناعت کے لائق ہے؛ مگر حرص کے باعث تم اس کے خلاف گمان کرتے ہو۔”
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma warns that worldly gains commonly breed ego—people attribute success to their own prowess—and therefore one should cultivate santoṣa (contentment). Greed distorts judgment, making a person undervalue the sufficiency already present.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma addresses his listener with a moral correction: scripture testifies that gains are pride-laden, and he urges the listener to rest in contentment rather than be driven by lobha (greed).